Upcoming Event: Fencing versus ACC Championships on February 21, 2026
Fencing
vs ACC Championships
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Balus, Singh Receive PNC Achievers of the Year Awards
2/16/2026 10:51:00 AM | Fencing, Women's Tennis, Athletics
DURHAM, N.C. — Duke Athletics standouts Irina Balus and Dayaal Singh were named PNC Achievers of the Year for the 2024-25 campaign and were recognized at the Duke men's basketball game Feb. 14.Â
Â
Since arriving on campus, Balus has made an immediate impact on the Duke women's tennis team. She is coming off a 2025 campaign where she earned ITA All-America honors, received as high as a No. 8 national ranking in singles and No. 8 in doubles and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles Championship.Â
Â
Balus, a native of Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, helped lead Duke to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Team Championship this past May and owns 27 wins over her first two seasons with the Blue Devils.  Â
Â
Fans can catch Balus and the women's tennis team at home this weekend as Duke hosts Boston College (Feb. 20) and Syracuse (Feb. 22) at 3 p.m., and 12 p.m., respectively in Durham.Â
Â
Singh is a junior foilist on the Duke men's fencing team, who is coming off a breakout sophomore season in which he qualified for the NCAA Championships and earned All-America Honorable Mention accolades after placing 12th overall.
Â
A product of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, Singh earned USFCA All-Region First Team status and took third at the NCAA Regionals – the highest regional finish for a Duke men's foil since 2019. He has totaled over 75 career wins as a Blue Devil and is a five-time academic honoree.
Â
Singh and the Duke fencing team will next compete in the ACC Championship Feb. 21-22 inside Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham.Â
Â
To stay up to date with Blue Devils wrestling, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWRES".
Â
#GoDuke
Â
Â
Since arriving on campus, Balus has made an immediate impact on the Duke women's tennis team. She is coming off a 2025 campaign where she earned ITA All-America honors, received as high as a No. 8 national ranking in singles and No. 8 in doubles and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles Championship.Â
Â
Balus, a native of Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, helped lead Duke to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Team Championship this past May and owns 27 wins over her first two seasons with the Blue Devils.  Â
Â
Fans can catch Balus and the women's tennis team at home this weekend as Duke hosts Boston College (Feb. 20) and Syracuse (Feb. 22) at 3 p.m., and 12 p.m., respectively in Durham.Â
Â
Singh is a junior foilist on the Duke men's fencing team, who is coming off a breakout sophomore season in which he qualified for the NCAA Championships and earned All-America Honorable Mention accolades after placing 12th overall.
Â
A product of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, Singh earned USFCA All-Region First Team status and took third at the NCAA Regionals – the highest regional finish for a Duke men's foil since 2019. He has totaled over 75 career wins as a Blue Devil and is a five-time academic honoree.
Â
Singh and the Duke fencing team will next compete in the ACC Championship Feb. 21-22 inside Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham.Â
Â
To stay up to date with Blue Devils wrestling, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWRES".
Â
#GoDuke
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
Foil
/ FencingAllen Marakov Wins Bronze in Epee
Wednesday, February 26
Kunling Tong Takes Silver in Saber
Wednesday, February 26
Beguinet Classic: Kavya Menke Interview
Monday, February 10
Beguinet Classic: Omar Elgeziry Interview
Monday, February 10
